From HotWax and Velkro, to Declan McKenna and Courting: Here are all the best bits at this year's Live At Leeds: In The Park | Dork
From HotWax and Velkro, to Declan McKenna and Courting: Here are all the best bits at this year's Live At Leeds: In The Park
Who's coming?
Who's coming?
Photos: Derek Bremner, Jennifer McCord, Sarah Louise Bennett.
The sun is shining, the suncream is packed, and Live At Leeds: In The Park is just around the corner. On Saturday, 25th May, Temple Newsam will once again transform into an indie music wonderland for an unforgettable day. With a line-up spanning five stages, this year's festival is poised to be the ultimate celebration of alternative music.
The minds behind Live At Leeds have curated an eclectic mix of established heavy hitters and the most buzzed-about emerging acts. Whether you're craving singalong anthems from indie legends like The Kooks, yearning for a glimpse of the future with trailblazing newcomers, or simply looking to discover your new favourite band, Live At Leeds: In The Park has you covered.
Of course, we at Dork will be right there in the thick of it all day long. The Dork Hype stage is set to be a goldmine of fresh talent, serving up future festival headliners from open to close. Stick with us, and we'll guide you to the unmissable acts you need to catch across all the stages. So grab your mates, slather on that SPF, and let's dive into the most essential performances at this year's Live At Leeds: In The Park.
COURTING
CLASH Big Top, 12:30pm
Former Dork cover stars Courting are the perfect band to blow the cobwebs off and get your festival started right. Their hyperactive post-punk-slash-pop-slash-whatever glorious nonsense is like a triple espresso shot straight to the heart - it's impossible not to get swept up in their raucous energy. Expect sardonic wit and a hefty helping of gleeful chaos.
VELKRO
Dork Hype Stage, 12:30pm
Velkro may have only played their first shows less than a year ago, but they're already primed to be standouts. Rising from the ashes of much-missed Dork faves Priestgate, their goth-tinged dream-pop is the perfect soundtrack for the occasion.
RADIO FREE ALICE
Dork Hype Stage, 1:30pm
Melbourne's Radio Free Alice take classic influences and give them a twist that feels thrillingly modern. With an irresistible Aussie charm that's sure to win over the crowd, their set is guaranteed to get you moving with reckless abandon.
LUCIA & THE BEST BOYS
Dork Hype Stage, 2:30pm
Get ready to be utterly transfixed by Lucia & The Best Boys. Leader Lucia Fairfull is a rare talent, a whirling dervish of gothic glam and raw emotion. Their debut album 'Burning Castles' is a cinematic genre-hopper that will translate into an unforgettable live experience.
BABY QUEEN
The Cockpit Main Stage, 2:50pm
From social media virality to bona fide pop star, Baby Queen's rise has been meteoric. Her debut album 'Quarter Life Crisis' encapsulated the messy highs and lows of your roaring twenties over bubblegum grunge bops. Expect her set to be a riotous delight.
FLOWEROVLOVE
DIY Stage, 3:10pm
Flowerovlove's rainbow-hued, Y2K-tinted bedroom pop is an instant serotonin hit. She's already cultivated a signature sound that feels both nostalgic and entirely fresh, and her infectious grooves and unabashedly joyful stage presence are sure to be a festival highlight.
OVERPASS
Dork Hype Stage, 3:30pm
Overpass have been making serious waves on the indie scene, and for good reason. Their anthemic choruses and heart-on-sleeve lyrics capture the giddy rush of youth in vivid technicolour. Singalongs will be mandatory when they take the stage.
NIEVE ELLA
DIY Stage, 4:00pm
Nieve Ella's songwriting has a startling emotional maturity. Drawing from her own experiences, she spins relatable vignettes into soaring indie-pop catharsis. Fast rising, Nieve will be a festival favourite in no time.
TOM A. SMITH
Dork Hype Stage, 4:30pm
Tom A. Smith has been preternaturally talented for as long as we can remember. Barely old enough to buy his own drinks, his soulful voice and diaristic lyrics already feel fully formed. He's got a knack for writing songs that feel like late-night conversations with your wisest friend.
GOOD NEIGHBOURS
DIY Stage, 5:00pm
Good Neighbours became viral sensations with their impossibly earwormy sound, but they're far from one-hit wonders. They've got hooks for days, ready to kickstart the late afternoon with a burst of indie-pop bliss.
MATILDA MANN
Dork Hype Stage, 5:30pm
We've been enamoured with Matilda Mann's folk-tinged musings for ages now, and her latest work is her most stunning yet. Her set is sure to be a moment of pure magic, casting a spell with her enchanting vocals and heartfelt lyrics.
SEA GIRLS
The Cockpit Main Stage, 6:15pm
Sea Girls have made penning indie disco floor-fillers an art form. Soon to drop new album 'Midnight Butterflies' sees them spreading their wings with their most ambitious and heartfelt work yet, but still packing in the massive choruses. Get ready to jump when they take the stage.
ORLA GARTLAND
DIY Stage, 7:10pm
Orla Gartland's songwriting is so brutally honest it can take your breath away. Her new track 'Little Chaos' takes the brilliant promise of her debut album and charges it all the way up to twenty-eight-squillion-and-twelve, cutting the kind of sharp, jaw-dropping shapes that St. Vincent would be jealous of. With a new album on the way, Orla is a must-see wherever you find her.
DECLAN MCKENNA
The Cockpit Main Stage, 7:35pm
Whipsmart and preternaturally talented, Declan McKenna's star just keeps rising. His latest album 'What Happened To The Beach' sees him tackling weighty topics with wit and sparkling indie-pop tunes - a golden hour set that's sure to be transcendent.
HOTWAX
Dork Hype Stage, 8:00pm
HotWax are the kind of band that make you want to start a sweaty moshpit, even if it's just in your bedroom. Their scorching garage-punk bangers are tailor-made for cutting loose. Expect pints to fly when they crank things up to eleven to close out the Dork Hype stage.
CAITY BASER
DIY Stage, 8:20pm
Caity Baser is a pop star for the modern age. Her straight-talking lyrics and bubbly melodies dissect the trials and triumphs of young adulthood with wit and sincerity. A major talent in the making.
THE KOOKS
The Cockpit Main Stage, 9:20pm
The quintessential mid-00s anthemic indie band are sure to close out the festival with a triumphant set overflowing with generation-defining anthems. Warm up those vocal cords because you'll be singing along to every word as they roll out the hits.
There you have it - your essential guide to the unmissable acts at this year's Live At Leeds: In The Park. With so much incredible music on offer, it's shaping up to be an unforgettable day. See you down the front!
The track follows 'Switch Up' as the former Beastie Boy plays sold-out Brooklyn dates at Xanadu Roller Arts
